Easing the Transition from Pre-School to Kindergarten:

Critical Skills for School Success

Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s): In an effort to help prepare students for the transition to kindergarten, the West Valley Kindergarten Teachers have prepared the following list of recommended entry level skills that will help a child make a successful transition to school. Critical skills are found in bold print. Always remember that reading to your child is the single most important gift you can give to your child to help ensure his/her success in school. Thank you for your interest in your child's education. It will make a difference!

Social Skills

• demonstrates cooperation and friendship skills
• has basic coping skills (e.g., not easily frustrated and seldom cries)
• is comfortable being away from home/parent for 2-3 hours
• enjoys learning
• likes doing a kindergarten-type activity independently
• does not require constant adult attention
• responds positively to adult direction
• is courteous and polite to other students and adults (e.g., does not interrupt while others are speaking)

Self-Help:

• knows how to dress self (e.g., tie/buckle/fasten shoes; knows how to zip/button coat)
• shows respect for school and others property
• takes care of personal belongings
• independent with bathroom skills

Oral Communication

• engages in conversation about daily routine and activities
• appropriate, developmental speech patterns (excluding baby talk)
• name common objects
• stays on the subject line during conversation
• responds appropriately to questions
• understandable articulation (can speak so someone outside of the home can understand their words)

Memory/Attention Span/Listening

• should be able to name themselves and other people in their household (e.g., names, age or grade level)
• should be able to attend 10 minutes on a single activity (excluding TV or video/computer games)
• should be able to follow a routine
• able to follow a 1-2 step direction

Gross Motor:

• major control over one's body movements (can get from point A to B walking, go safely up and down stairs)
• demonstrates keeping a rhythm (clapping, tapping, stomping)
• can jump, run, hop and catch a ball

Fine Motor/Visual Motor/Positive Indicators of Readiness

• natural finger grip on writing/coloring tools
• firm/confident pencil/crayon strokes
• eye/hand co-ordination (can draw basic shapes)
• draws a recognizable person
• has had experience cutting paper with scissors

*Recommended Academic Skills

• is able to count from 1-10
• can identify numbers, 1-10
• can write numerals, 1-10
• is able to recite the alphabet and identify some letters
• can identify shapes (circle, square, triangle, diamond, rectangle, and oval) and knows colors
• is able to write his/her name

*Note-some students may not be developmentally ready for these academic skills by the time they enter kindergarten.

 

Revised: December 10, 1999